Civilian deaths from air strikes doubled last year
MPs raise questions about how enemy combatants are identified - despite claims the RAF killed no civilians
The number of civilians killed in air strikes has almost doubled over the past year, raising fresh questions about British military practices in combat zones.
A global survey by Action on Armed Violence found more than 15,000 civilians were killed by explosive weapons in 2017, a rise of 42% on the previous year. The increase was driven by a surge in air-strike fatalities and coincided with the US-led military operations to reclaim Islamic State strongholds in Iraq and Syria.
One MP told The Guardian the figures were “deeply concerning” and raised questions over the transparency of legal criteria used by the Ministry of Defence to determine whether an individual is an IS combatant.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The chair of the all-party parliamentary group on drones, Clive Lewis, said: “Effectively distinguishing between those who are ‘directly participating in hostilities’ and those who are not is a prerequisite for distinguishing between legitimate and civilian targets.”
Iain Overton, executive director of Action on Armed Violence, said the figures, which are corroborated by other monitoring groups and a recent report by the Associated Press, raised “fundamental questions about the Royal Air Force’s claims that there is no evidence civilians are killed in its operations”.
The US military has admitted that 801 civilians in Syria and Iraq were unintentionally killed by air strikes last year.
Over the weekend, the White Helmets volunteer rescue group claimed at least 17 civilians were killed by government air strikes backed by Russian air power. CNN says at least ten medical facilities, including a women and children’s hospital, have been hit by air strikes and artillery shelling over nine days in the eastern provinces of Idlib and Hama.
Overton attributed the dramatic rise in civilian causalities in the Middle East to the changing nature of warfare in the region, as it moves out of rural areas and into the cities.
“There seems to be no interest from the coalition or the Iraqi government in properly understanding the level of civilian deaths. We’re becoming too complacent about urban warfare, and militaries and governments are downplaying the effects,” he said.
Asked by The Guardian to reveal how enemy combatants are indentified, a spokesman for the MoD said it does not comment on rules of engagement, but insisted it “had not seen any evidence that we have caused civilian casualties”.
“We do everything we can to minimise the risk to civilian life from UK strikes through our rigorous targeting processes and the professionalism of the RAF crews,” he said. “Reports of civilian casualties are and will continue to be taken very seriously and we will investigate all credible claims.”
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Crossword: April 19, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
In what states is abortion legal, illegal, and in limbo?
In The Spotlight Where American states stand on abortion care
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Sudoku hard: April 19, 2024
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
How would we know if World War Three had started?
Today's Big Question With conflicts in Ukraine, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific, the 'spark' that could ignite all-out war 'already exists'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The issue of women and conscription
Under the radar Ukraine military adviser hints at widening draft to women, as other countries weigh defence options amid global insecurity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Will Iran risk all-out war with Israel?
Today's Big Question Tehran has not wanted to be directly involved in the Middle East conflict so far. But that could be about to change
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Why is Islamic State targeting Russia?
Today's Big Question Islamist terror group's attack on 'soft target' in Moscow was driven in part by 'opportunity and personnel'
By Elliott Goat, The Week UK Published
-
Ukraine's unconventional approach to reconstruction
Under the radar Digitally savvy nation uses popular app to file compensation claims, access funds and rebuild destroyed homes
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Will Ukraine's leadership reset work?
Today's Big Question Zelenskyy hints at ousting of popular military chief, but risks backlash amid dwindling munitions, delayed funding and Russian bombardment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Imran Khan sentenced to 10 years: how powerful is Pakistan's military?
Today's Big Question The country's armed forces ignore country's economic woes, control its institutions and, critics say, engineer election results
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Iran's endgame?
Today's Big Question Tehran seeks to supplant US and Saudi Arabia as dominant power in Middle East while forcing Israel to end Gaza war
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published